I thought it would be nice to maybe do a seasonal roll call for us so we can keep track of our mamas. I know there are some 'newer' mamas here on MDC and it would be nice to get to know everyone! I think there is a spring roster already, and maybe one of the fall mamas wants to start one?

I am tracymom1, due on June 26th with #3. This will be my 2nd homebirth and 1st UC. After starting care with a CNM this time around, DH and I decided that was not the best route for us and we ended care with her about 6 weeks ago. I am really enjoying taking care of this pregnancy on my own - I feel so empowered and knowledgeable about everything that is happening to my body! I love being in control of my situation and not having to fight to my way out of every single prenatal test. And mostly, I love not having to worry about any unnecessary interventions during labor!!

My name is Yolanda. I love the Lord!!I am pregnant with my sixth child. I have 4 boys and 1 girl. #6 due July 3rd and yes, its a girl (found out via mail-in-blood test, supposed to be 92% accurate or money back grauntee)! daughter because the midwife got scared when the placenta didn't come out within 30mins, so she called 911 and when the came the kinda took over & she didn't even come to hospital. First two were born in the hospital w/epi. My three youngest were born at home with midwife. I am super excited about doing an UP & UC. Thus far, this has been a wonderful learning experience for me and I thank you ladies for the wealth of information you've provided me with. I look forward to completing this journey with you.

Hello, my name is Jennifer and I am pregnant for the first time! I'm due in late September. I'm on medicaid so I am getting prenatal care from my family doctor. We are pretending to her that I'm going to the hospital, but we are going to stay home. My friend who also UCed on her first birth might show up as well. I am excited but it is so far away for me that it doesn't seem real yet.

I'm Jenny and I'm due with our 3rd September 1st, I'm kind of expecting late August though.
My first two were born at home with a cpm, but I'd like a little more privacy and to feel less managed this time:)
I am UP-ing as well:)
I also find it empowering and exciting to do my own prenatal care!

Jenny - wife to one great guy, mama to three To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. babies, with #4 due in January 2015! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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Hi! I'm Cheryl, due in early July with my second baby. I am planning a uc again this time although I did not actually have one with my first. I am seeing some cnms for prenatal care, same ones as last time, because my dh is not on board with a uc. This was my problem last time, I could not convince him of a uc and once I went into labor I decided I would rather him be there. Honestly I had a lot of fear and uncertainty going into it on what I should really do and it being my first I was not really sure what to expect from labor and birth and I just could not quite get my head around it. The birth went well until I let the mw break my water, then we started getting hr decels so I had to lay down and ended up purple-pushing for 2 hours, threatened with forceps and c-section but I did push him out finally. I don't know what I was thinking letting her break my water because i had said over and over I was not going to do that but anyway.

This time around I am feeling really peaceful about giving birth at home. I keep seeing my self in the bathroom on a pile of towels, baby sliding out easily. I AM going to plan it out quite bit better and get serious about it. Last time during my pregnancy I just kinda thought and hoped on it and hoped everything would work out the way I wanted it to. So I am really going to do it this time, going into everything with a positive frame of mind and trying to open up more. I don't think my dh will every be really on the same page with me about this but I think I will at least be able to educate him enough so that he doesn't freak out.

So this will be good to have a little support thread going for those of us due around the same time (Tracy aren't you in the July 2011 ddc? I haven't been there in ages but ski season (work) is finally winding down so I am hoping to jump back in soon). Nice to see some experienced mamas as well as first-timers!

My name is Tara and we are expecting our 5th baby at the end of June. This will be our 3rd UC, 2nd planned and UP, and 4th at home. My UC birth stories are on the list somewhere (07 and 09). Love to see the first timers, wish I knew then what I know now. Annabelle, I think we will look to you for experienced advice. ;)

Hey I'm mamagrits! I'm not on much but a friend who has UC'd several times led me here when I told her our plans to UC. I haven't posted much but I've read a whole bunch! (Especially the birth story thread!) So ya'll don't follow my example & keep posting! ;)

I'm due July 10th w/ #4 (who will be my 4th in less than 5yrs). My 1st (DD) was a traditional intervention happy epidural vaginal birth AKA not a great experience! My 2nd (DS) I hired a doula & was going for a med free hospital birth but loooong story, ended up w/ a c-section under general. I was very grateful for that c/s, it was definitely one of the few "real" needed ones. My 3rd (DD) I stayed w/ my awesome doula & finally got my med free hospital VBAC. It was the best experience so far, but it still wasn't everything I wanted, the midwife still did several things w/o my consent that were explicitly against my birth plan, which as most of us know completely gets ignored even when you've gotten "full support" of it before labor.

I'm still seeing this same group of midwives I saw last birth b/c well, it's free b/c I have Medicaid & I also want a Mirena @ my 6wks PP checkup!!! I hope they'll overlook that I don't show up @ the hospital to give birth & at least wait to kick me outta the practice until after that IUD is in place! (I've already been kicked outta an OB when I was 36wks preggo w/ #2 b/c my birth plan was way too crunchy for them). Well, I've been GBS+ twice before & if I am + again I will birth in the hospital. The risk just isn't worth it to me. I'm definitely not as crunchy as many of you, as I also do vaccinate (well, most of em) & I'm huge on the importance of the newborn screen. Our #3 has CF that was caught early by it & this one has a 25% chance of having it, too, as did our first two but we didn't know we were carriers. I support breastfeeding (made it 17mos w/ #3, much better than the 9mos & 2mos I did w/ my others!) but I also know that formula isn't rat poison & look kindly on those who use it as I did with #2 (remember that long story? yeah...).

I haven't told hardly anyone our UC plans b/c they'd think we're nuts (in fact I'm sure our family would call 911 or CPS or something). In fact just a few years ago I thought natural childbirth was nuts, especially home births. And then I warmed up to home birth but thought UC was still crazy. And here were are now, the second we confirmed we were pregnant again there was no doubt in my or DH's mind that we were going to UC this time! My how a little time & a lotta reading can change things. ;)

We started out the pregnancy with a midwife and I really liked her, but I just could never picture her at the birth. I also wasn't enjoying pregnancy very much b/c I was super concerned with doing everything "right" and if I slipped up and missed a vitamin or didn't eat 80 grams of protein a day, etc I would get super stressed out. I did some research on UP/UC and talked with my DF and he agreed to it! Since choosing to go UP and UC I''m enjoying things soooo much more. I still try to do things as I should, but I don't beat myself up if I happen to have a day where I miss my iron or vitamin or don't get exercise, since the only person I have to check in with now is myself!

I've been doing research online and reading through several forums, but I still have A LOT of reading and learning to do. I ordered Hearts and Hands off Amazon and can't wait til it gets her so I can start reading it.

Hey ladies! My name is Claire and I'm due with my second on June 21st and this has been a UP/UC since the get go. I am really, really excited about having a summer babe as my DS was born in the winter and that was pretty rough. Oh, and DS was born at home, so this will be my second home birth :-)

Claire, book reading, tree loving, coffee drinking wife to K, and happy SAHM to ds G Feb '09 home birth, dd C ~ free birthed June '11, and now a new lil surprise due October 2012

Claire, I totally agree... my son was a winter babe and I just could not get myself motivated to get outside and take a walk on those icy streets! So I too am ecstatic about getting a summer baby this time around.

I was having some wonderful visualizations of my birth last night (couldn't sleep as usual) - in the bathroom on the pile of towels (this is the usual one), in the tub, by the bed. Just so peaceful and nice.

I am also using a great book this time called "25 ways to awaken your birth power". I had it during my last pregnancy but I never really used it because I got it in the birthing class we took only a week or two before Jackson arrived. It has meditations and pictures and a cd. I am really digging it.

So I have a big question - how large of a bowl do you need for the placenta? I probably need to get one just for that because my sweet dh is pretty squeamish about cleaning up things like that and re-using. I mean the guy won't do cloth diapers/reusable wipes because he thinks its gross so I imagine a bowl with bloody mess in it is not going to fly either. I am sure any soiled towels will go straight into the trash unless I put them in the washer. Anyway, I am just not sure what size you need. I did not see the placenta from Jackson's birth, I was just too exhausted to care so I have no idea!

I guess i'll join in on the summer fun. I'm due mid May with my 3rd. My last pregnancy I was planning a UC but due to complications and it being twins it didn't work out. So this is my second attempt at a UC. I'm finishing up ordering the rest of my supplies this week and i'm very excited to be completely ready.

I'm due May 9.... it's my first and though we've been doing OB care (we have great insurance) we're definitely leaving the UC option on the table. Basically I want to be totally prepared to be so relaxed that we're not quite sure how far along we are, and there he comes! Any slowness or intuition will probably send us up to the nice birthing center but I'm very much hoping that my darling LO comes to me in my kiddie pool on the deck with a nice view of the mountains.

Thankful for this forum!!! Good luck to all, stay healthy and happy!

Anna, married to my soulmate, loving on DS (4) and TTC #2 in August 2015

Due early May. So, I guess I qualify. :) I'm definitely excited to have my first warm weather newbie. I think it'll be a lot easier on me mentally being able to get out of the house with my kiddos and take a walk etc.

Planned a UC with my second that didn't turn out due to my living situation, but looking forward to this time around. I'm feeling confident things should be fine and I'll finally get a good birth to look back on.

Due early May. So, I guess I qualify. :) I'm definitely excited to have my first warm weather newbie. I think it'll be a lot easier on me mentally being able to get out of the house with my kiddos and take a walk etc.

I loved having a summer baby last time! We went on walks every day, got lots of fresh air and it was just so much easier getting around without the mess of winter and having to bundle up. If we go for #4 at some point, I am going to do my best to plan another summer LO!

So how is everyone feeling? How many of us are UPing as well as UCing?

Proud Mama to DS1 09/07 , DD 07/09 , and DS2 06/11 . Feeling more and more blessed with each day!

I'm due late May. Second homebirth, first UC. While it will be nice to have a summer baby this time, I've found it hard to get in all the walking I would like to do over the winter. I just can't make myself go out and do it at -25 plus windchill. Makes me nervous since I'm less active this pregnancy than with the last.

So how is everyone feeling? How many of us are UPing as well as UCing?

Currently, I'm UPing again. I UPed until 24 weeks. Went to 3 hospital midwife visits and an ultrasound. Dumped my midwives by 30 weeks and here I am. It was kind of nice for them to run those couple tests they did when I did go in, but just couldn't take the attitude problem of one of the midwives and didn't get to choose which midwife I would see at any given appointment. It's a whole lot more peaceful not going to a bazzillion appointments anyway. And a lot more peaceful not getting any "speech" for declining things.

I was for a moment thinking of trying to get in with an OB recommended by another mothering member locally but I don't think I can make myself bother with it.

I UP'ed my last pregnancy even though it didn't end up in my desired UC. That was a very nice, peaceful pregnancy too. The most nerve-wracking pregnancy was the first one where I had regular OB care with a pushy OB and not a clue what I was doing.

Oh and on how I'm feeling... I feel like going back to bed. LOL My head hurts, my body aches, I'll be happy when the whole pregnancy thing has passed. (of course I'm happy to wait until full term - just wish I had a fast forward button.)

Grace-based wife & mama to 2 unschoolers! One To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . We live simply & mindfully. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Expecting another blessing Feb 2015 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.Praying for another To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I'm UPing all the way. I did call the local midwife once, but got such a bad vibe over the phone that I never pursued it. I take BP when I think about it, pay attention to fetal movement and listen to the heartbeat a lot on a fetascope. Probably way more than I need to, but it's so neat to listen to that little heart!

Hi everyone! Baby number 3 due near the end of summer :) Our first was a hospital birth, our second was at home with a MW, and we're hoping for a UC this time around! We've been UP'ing, sometimes I feel like I *might* want to see someone, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

Ice cream pail, thanks! That gives me a great idea of what to do. I don't usually get those large pails but I remember them from when I was a kid. We ate so much orange creamsicle ice cream out of those things!

I am finally feeling better after over a month of being sick off and on. Colds, stomach bugs, I just couldn't get well there for awhile. But ski season is almost over (only 3 more days of work!) and then I have a week or so to rest up before our trip home to NC. And then I've gotta start getting this house ready! I like that part though. Cleaning, organizing, purging junk... it makes me happy.

Not UPing but seeing some CNMs. They are pretty laid back although I am doing some testing. Last time I remember being so nervous about the glucose test and gbs but I am totally fine now. I just know these things are not going to be an issue for me so the tests don't matter . If that makes sense. Maybe if my UC goes off without a hitch I will UP next time. But really it is about my dh's comfort level, so we'll see.

I started UPing at 22 weeks. I really hadn't even thought about UCing until I was around 16 or so weeks. I guess I just kind of realized that I didn't want an audience during labor and that I trusted myself and my body more than anyone else.

For the placenta, I have a stainless bowl that I got at the party store for less than ten bucks and I think it was meant to be a punch bowl. It worked perfectly last time. I do not tell my family that their salad is being served in my placenta bowl, lol!!!

I'm in Florida so we are already getting 85 degrees and higher. I love it as long as the wind blows from time to time. Although sometimes it make me want to strip down to bare minimum. Feeling pretty good, just got over a stomach virus, which made me lose a few pounds (not good)! I'm 26 wks preggo and baby is moving, kicking up a storm, mostly at night though. Feeling like I've been preggo forever. I have a 3yo, 2yo, and 1yo.